COMPUTER-BASED NEUROANATOMY LABORATORY FOR MEDICAL-STUDENTS

Background: To present the laboratory portion of our first-semester Hu man Neuroanatomy course at Temple University Medical School more effec tively and efficiently and to replace the glass slide/microscope-based laboratory component of the course, we developed a computer-based sub stitute, Methods: For this computer-based neuroanatomy laboratory prog ram, we photographed the (a) gross brain sliced and dissected specimen s and (b) all the glass slides, from the sacral cord through the head of the caudate nucleus, We digitized the photographed images and, usin g Multimedia ToolBook (Asymetrix), created a computerized atlas, labor atory guide, and a clinical problem-solving section, To assess the eff ectiveness of the computerized laboratory, we compared student perform ances between those classes that previously had the traditional labora tory with two succeeding classes that used the computer-based laborato ry, Results: Test score results of the laboratory portion of the cours e suggested that performance on laboratory material was virtually unch anged by the substitution of the computer program, By a survey taken a t the end of the course, the students were very satisfied with the com puterized program as a teaching method, Conclusions: The students and faculty enthusiastically agreed that the computer program was an effec tive substitute method for the traditional glass-slide laboratory and that it was a beneficial self-educational tool that fostered independe nt learning, The program encouraged student interaction and group lear ning and fostered independence. It was a more efficient method for fac ulty and students without sacrificing performance. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss , Inc.